Forgive

Homily for Tuesday of the 1st Week of Lent

This is how you are to pray…

With these simple words, Jesus teaches his disciples and us the most common prayer which is the framework for the Eucharist and for the anchor hours of morning prayer and evening prayer in the Liturgy of the Hours. It is believed by church historians that it was the recitation of this prayer three times a day that formed the beginning of the daily prayer of the church.

At the heart of this prayer is the admonition to forgive. Psychology has taught us that offering forgiveness benefits not only one who is forgiven, but the one who forgive us as well. So then, why is it so difficult for us to forgive? There are probably multiple reasons which answer this question. However, for today, let us simply give one reason. When another person hurts us so much that they need to be forgiven, we have probably looked at that person and expected more of them. We have, perhaps, place them on a pedestal and expected them to be the kind of person who does not wound us by words or actions.

However, we all know that no one is perfect. We are all guilty of sin and in need of forgiveness. If we had not placed them on that figurative pedestal in the first place, they would not have been able to fall from grace in our minds. If we had only seen them as similar to ourselves, frail and guilty of many faults, forgiveness is much easier to grant.

As we go through our day, let our mindfulness trigger be found in the Lord’s prayer: forgive as we are forgiven.